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Topic Review (Newest First)

05-15-2013 12:25 AM

JRubin

I agree with you Ironpony, stands are only as good as the welds that hold um together and its the same for supporting a D8 or the lightest go kart. I never planned on using any of mine to support 60 tons, we needed to and that was the quickest and closest thing on hand at the time. Even the 1/4" wall on box tube is an over kill to support a normal vehicle on but it's better to build on the side of safety and strength. The tallest stands I've make were 32" max height on a 14"x16" mase plate w/1 1/4"x1/4" angle on the support legs. My short ones are 20" max w/12"x14" base plates and just 1"x3/16" angle. Both use 1/2" stainless steel pins.

05-14-2013 06:15 PM

Ironpony

Hi guys We have made jack stands in the past to hold up D8 dozers and 594 sidebooms. So that we could pull the track rails and replace the bottom rollers. We would use 6" 3/8" wall pipe Cut to about 38" tall. Then we would split the bottom half into Quarters about half way up. Heat them at the end of the cut and bend the legs out so that they would fit a 2' square of 1/4" inch plate. cut a miter to fit the plate and weld them down like your life depended on it! And holding 60 tons up in the air your life is really on the line. The point is if you did the same thing but on a smaller scale say use 2 1/2" schedual 80 pipe and maybe 1/8" plate you would have a set of jack stands that would last a lifetime and BE SAFE. I don't have any picts of the jacks we made, never thought to take any. But with the wide base they would be very stable. The only thing is to make sure the welds are good. If you don't feel like you can weld that good please take them to someone that can. I have made some sawhorses out of 3" square tube thats 1/4" wall thickness. that are about 30" high and they really work well. Those I can post picts of if anyone is interested. Hope this helps Bill

05-13-2013 08:12 AM

MARTINSR

You just reminded me my brother has a pair 18" or so jack stands (at the lowest setting) that he made in high school in 1972. I will bet you they don't make stuff like that anymore! With the lawyers, I'll bet they don't make them anymore.

Brian

05-13-2013 02:00 AM

JRubin

Had to add my 2 cents late as it is

Waaaay back some 50 odd years ago, the first metal shop project I was required to make was a pair of axle stands. We had to use pipe, slit one end into 3rds making 3 legged axle stands. The instructor would test them in the shop hydraulic press to 5 tons, if they failed so did we. Mine passed!! LOL
Back then we didn't have manufactured axle stands, engine hoists, engine stands, tow bars, and etc, that could be bought at the local auto parts store. If we wanted these items we had to have them made or make them ourselves. So I learned how to and made many in my life time.

Over the years I have built a dozen or so for myself and friends using square tubing that can go as high as 30". The metal supplier here sells slide in trailer hitch tubing that has the proper size and wall thickness to allow them to fit snugly making for a very stable axle stand. I actually have made 2 types, one with a 3/16ths flat bottom which is great on asphalt and dirt, the other is with spreaders between the legs allowing the legs to have something to dig in with on concrete. Personally I prefer the flat bottomed ones as I get 5 points of contact as the center tube sits on the flat bottom plate and has 4 angle iron legs to the corners of the of the plate. Word to the wise, tack weld the center post ONLY then weld on the outrigger legs before welding the center as it will warp the bottom plate so don't over weld it.
Square tube is great for making 4 legged axle stands as you only are cutting on the flat surfaces not having to divide round pipe into 1/3rds and try to make the cuts with a hand hacksaw without hitting the other side of the pipe. Not to mention drilling the lock pin holes on a round surface and getting them centered correctly.
We even used one of mine to support the keil at the bow on a 60 ton yacht I was working on in the yard once so the boot stripe could be painted on and it never failed.

03-14-2013 09:18 AM

S10xGN

Quote:

Originally Posted by farna

S10xGN, those stands you made look fine for a pretty much bare body like you have. I wouldn't put a car with a full drivetrain on them though. That's what most were thinking -- getting a complete car up to work on.

Frank, I wouldn't even trust them (alone) on just the body shell. I used them only to level everything up and after that, readjusted my rotisserie so nothing is in a bind. I've about got my seats mounted, once that's done it'll be time to drop some serious cash with CA Chassisworks!

Russ

03-13-2013 12:07 PM

farna

S10xGN, those stands you made look fine for a pretty much bare body like you have. I wouldn't put a car with a full drivetrain on them though. That's what most were thinking -- getting a complete car up to work on.

02-27-2013 09:49 AM

evolvo

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedanbob

Those look good - extra wide and stable. How tall are they?

They are very stable. I figured if I followed the angle of the 4 ton stands with the angle iron it would replicate some unknown mathematical formula for the stability quotient, or some such BS They are 19" collapsed and 26" fully extended.

02-27-2013 09:34 AM

sedanbob

I don't know what I'm talking about here, but it seems like you would want it at the same angle it would be at ride height. If the back was 2" higher when it's done (for example, because I don't know what your intentions are) it seems like it would simplify measuring where the suspension components will go, and what sheet metal stays or gets cut, if it was that same 2" higher on the rotisserie. But like I said - I don't know what I'm talking about, just trying to help.

02-27-2013 09:23 AM

S10xGN

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedanbob

S10xGN, I can see where you would need something really tall to assist getting a body up on your rotisserie. No criticism intended, I don't have a lot of experience working with a rotisserie, but why would you need to use a creeper under it? Why not just rotate it? I have only put one body on a rotisserie, but we used a pair of engine hoists.

Yeah, that does kinda make you scratch your head. I'm going to be removing most of the rear flooring for a Chris Alston triangulated 4-link setup and cutting out the front sheetmetal for an M-II front clip. All this (at least in my mind) should be done with the car as level as possible. Once it's cut and tacked in place, I can then roll it for finish welding. My rotisserie has an indexing head, but there's a couple degrees of slop in it...

Russ

02-27-2013 09:15 AM

sedanbob

Quote:

Originally Posted by evolvo

Here's how I acquired my tall jack stands, I made em'. I used 3/16" angle and 1/4" spreader bars. The feet are some 1/8" tabs I had around.

Those look good - extra wide and stable. How tall are they?

02-27-2013 09:14 AM

sedanbob

S10xGN, I can see where you would need something really tall to assist getting a body up on your rotisserie. No criticism intended, I don't have a lot of experience working with a rotisserie, but why would you need to use a creeper under it? Why not just rotate it? I have only put one body on a rotisserie, but we used a pair of engine hoists.

02-27-2013 08:31 AM

S10xGN

Quote:

Originally Posted by evolvo

Here's how I acquired my tall jack stands, I made em'. I used 3/16" angle and 1/4" spreader bars. The feet are some 1/8" tabs I had around.

Very nice! Here's how mine came out. I was thinking I'd have to jack the car a bit to relieve the weight, but the jack screws can be adjusted with the weight still on them. With the small bases, I'd not want to do any "work" without the rotisserie still in place but I may remove one of the spreader bars for creeper access. Thanks to all for your input!

Russ

02-26-2013 08:31 PM

Larry123

Quote:

Originally Posted by evolvo

Here's how I acquired my tall jack stands, I made em'. I used 3/16" angle and 1/4" spreader bars. The feet are some 1/8" tabs I had around.

I like them, great job.

02-26-2013 06:41 PM

evolvo

Here's how I acquired my tall jack stands, I made em'. I used 3/16" angle and 1/4" spreader bars. The feet are some 1/8" tabs I had around.

02-26-2013 12:31 AM

sedanbob

Keep after him Brian. There are plenty of ways to hurt yourself in an auto shop, you don't have to make more of them!

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